Consumer sessions at the 54th Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN) Annual Scientific Meeting, International Convention Centre, Sydney, 8 – 12 September 2018.

For the very first time, in 2018 the ANZSN Annual Scientific Meeting held three consumer sessions for patients and family members/caregivers. These sessions covered a range of topics, developed and chosen in partnership with kidney consumers.

Take a look at some of the highlights from the sessions.

Welcome and Introduction to Chronic Kidney Disease

Facilitators Professor Stephen McDonald and Amber Williamson open the day and explain the background to the consumer sessions at this year’s ANZSN ASM, organised by Kidney Health Australia and BEAT-CKD and sponsored by ANZSN and Baxter Healthcare.

Professor Stephen McDonald is a nephrologist and the Executive Officer of the ANZDATA Registry. Amber Williamson underwent a live kidney transplant over 16 years ago from her Father.

Shilpa Jesudason is a nephrologist, researcher and the Clinical Director of Kidney Health Australia and begins the presentations by providing an overview of the function of the kidney and the causes and current status of kidney disease in Australia.

Update on Kidney Disease Research in Australia

Facilitators Professor Stephen McDonald and Nicki Scholes-Robertson open the ‘Patient Workshop’ and explain the background and purpose of the consumer sessions at this year’s ANZSN ASM, organised by BEAT-CKD and Kidney Health Australia.

Professor Stephen McDonald is a nephrologist and the Executive Officer of the ANZDATA Registry. Nicki Scholes-Robertson is a clinical physiotherapist who received a live donor transplant in 2014. She is an advocate for rural patients with ESRD and a member of the BEAT-CKD Consumer Advisory Board.

Professor Richard Kitching Director, Monash Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Monash University Department of Medicine Nephrologist and Paediatric Nephrologist, Monash Health Co-chair, Infection and Inflammation Theme, Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre Professor. Richard Kitching is an academic nephrologist-scientist in adult and paediatric nephrology, whose research has focussed on immune kidney diseases with a view to use better and more targeted therapies for these diseases. Here he presents on the research spectrum and landscape in Australia and provides examples of research areas including clinical trials, kidney regeneration, targeted therapies for immune kidney diseases and preventing the progression of kidney disease.